The Hindu : New Delhi News : Tips to watch partial solar eclipse

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Wednesday, Jul 30, 2008
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New Delhi

Tips to watch partial solar eclipse

Madhur Tankha

NEW DELHI: As Delhi seems all set to have its date with the partial solar eclipse on Friday, celestial watchers will have to curtail their enthusiasm and exercise caution while watching the astronomical event with either a filter or through a projector.

According to Nehru Planetarium director N. Rathnasree, viewing the sun through a telescope or binocular without a proper filter is dangerous.

“Amateur astronomers should never attempt to do that, it could destroy their eyesight. If they do not have access to a telescope or a pair of binoculars, an easy method would be to use a kitchen ‘channi’ or colander that has very small perforations.”

Explaining the methodology to view the celestial event, Dr. Rathnasree said: “Hold the colander just above the ground, tilting its face towards the sun. Moving the colander a little away from the ground, one can see an image of the sun forming, which will show the eclipse when it occurs.”

Chances bleak

Although the chances of Delhiites witnessing the partial solar eclipse on D-Day are bleak as a cloud cover has been predicted for August 1, the Planetarium director asserts that it is difficult to make a correct forecast about the weather conditions.

“However, if the cloud cover clears between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m., Delhi is set to see quite a large fraction of the disk of the sun covered by the moon during the eclipse. The eclipse is a total one, but all of India lies in the partial belt of this eclipse. Some parts of Canada, Russia and China will witness the total solar eclipse.”

Dr. Rathnasree said the southern parts of India will see 20 per cent to 40 per cent of the diameter of the sun eclipsed, while the northern parts will see 40 per cent to 70 per cent.

Eclipse timing

As seen from Delhi, the eclipse will start at 4-03 p.m. in the afternoon and end at 6-56 p.m. The maximum of the eclipse will be seen at 5-02 p.m. The Capital will see about 17 per cent obscuration or fraction of area of the sun covered by the moon at the maximum of the eclipse.

A public sky-watch for the eclipse would be conducted by the Nehru Planetarium in collaboration with the Amateur Astronomers’ Association, Science Popularisation Association of Communicators and Educators and Astro Education Services at Jantar Mantar, Nehru Planetarium and India Gate.

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